Intel P55 Express Chipset

The ASUS P7P55 series motherboard platform is designed for the Intel Core i5/i7 LGA1156 'Lynnfield' processor (CPU) and Intel P55 Express Chipset (IOH). New to the P55 platform is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) that connects between the processor and chipset. The chipset supports 8 PCI Express 1.1 x1 Ports (2.5GT/s) for flexible device support. Dual graphics cards are supported by the CPU directly, in a "2x8" configuration. The chipset also supports six SATA 3Gb/s Ports with Intel Matrix Storage Technology providing RAID levels 0/1/5/10. Up to 14 USB 2.0 Ports can be supported with the chipset's integrated USB 2.0 Rate Matching Hub, along with Intel High Definition Audio for premium digital sound.

The Lynnfield CPU incorporates the system memory controller (as it did beginning with Nehalem) and accesses DDR3 memory through two independent, direct memory channels. The CPU also provides support for the two PCIe graphics slots via the Quick Path Interconnect (QPI) bus, and is limited to 16 lanes. The DMI connection between the Intel P55 Express chipset (IOH) and Lynnfield CPU is based on a PCI-e x4 connection and allows for only 2 GB/s of bandwidth. This limited bandwidth is not an issue, since the P55 only provides support for the legacy SATA, USB and other system interfaces, all low-speed functions that used to be performed by the Southbridge (ICH).

All motherboard busses and components are driven from a single base clock with a standard clock speed of 133.33 MHz; this is known as the B-Clock or BCLK. The individual component speed values are generated by applying a multiplier value to this base clock. There are four multipliers on the motherboard which are used to set the clock rates for:

1. CPU Speed: When multiplied by the system base clock speed (default 133.33 MHz), gives the CPU frequency. Four multipliers are used to define different speeds based on the number of active CPU cores.

2. Memory Speed: When multiplied by the system base clock speed, gives the memory frequency. For example a memory multiplier of 10 times the base clock of 133.33 MHz results in a memory frequency of 1333 MHz.

3. Direct Media Interface (DMI) Speed: Selectable transfer rate of data transferred between the CPU and the IOH. (Note: Many BIOS programs and monitoring utilities (CPU-z, etc.) will report this as QPI. This is the interface used between the LGA1366 CPUs and the X58 Chipset.)

4. Uncore Speed: This multiplier applies to the non-CPU related items in the processor. The limit on this multiplier is set by the memory multiplier.

Intel Rapid Recover Technology - Intel's latest data protection technology provides a recovery point that can be used to quickly recover a system should a hard drive fail or if there is data corruption. The clone can also be mounted as a read-only volume to allow a user to recover individual files.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) - Hi-Speed USB 2.0, provides greater enhancement in performance with a design data rate of up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps) with up to 14 USB 2.0 Ports.

USB 2.0 rate matching hub - Enables lower power requirements and manages the transition of the communication data rate from the high speed of the host controller to the lower speed of USB full speed /low speed devices.

Comments

Is there is real reason to choose the deluxe version over the pro version reviewed above (I'm not an overclocker, so not sure if all the power lanes will make a difference, and the only other differences I see are the variety of audio ports and an extra LAN port)?

If you're not overclocking, then search for the best price to fit your needs. All P55 motherboards, regardless of manufacturer, will produce roughly identical performance results (minus OC). Just make sure that it has the extra features you might need down the road.

If you're not overclocking, and you don't need the two extra audio channels and you don't need dual NICs, then don't spend the extra money. I don't see any of the included features helping to future-proof your system. The USB 3.0 and the SATA 6Gb/s are the keys for that, and both boards have that.